Male libido tends to decrease as men get older. Testosterone levels start to dip, which causes diminished sex drive that can lead to problems such as erectile dysfunction. A lowered libido may also be attributed to physical illness and side effects of prescription drugs, such as blood-pressure medications and anti-depressants. Whatever the direct reason for a lower sex drive might be, men not only suffer physically but psychologically as well. To reverse this problem, there are a number of options available.

Get a complete checkup from your doctor. It's important to get to the root of why your libido has decreased. Before any treatments can be advised, you need to know if any illness or disease may be the cause for your condition.

Consider asking your doctor to prescribe prescription medication to help. Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis are the three most popular drugs for dealing with erectile dysfunction. It must first be established whether or not you are healthy enough to take these medications. Additionally, it should be noted that these drugs are not appropriate for everyone and may have side effects associated with them.

Use herbs that are thought to elevate sex drive. Some of them that you might find useful are ashwagandha, yohimbe bark, pygeum, saw palmetto, sarsaparilla and ginseng. Always check with your doctor before taking any herb, to make sure there are no drug interactions and to monitor the effects. Yohimbe, in particular, should not be used by people who have high blood pressure, since it typically raises the blood pressure and has been known to increase the heart rate.

Eliminate stress from your life. Too much stress can put anyone out of the mood to be sexually intimate.

Exercise. This can have beneficial effects. Endorphins are released when you exercise, which may boost your mood and help with libido issues.

Determine whether your sex drive is low because of lack of attraction to your spouse. Realistically, you may not be as "turned on" by your mate as you once were. If this is the case, you need to have an honest talk with your significant other to discuss ways to try to put the passion back in your relationship. If necessary, you may need to see a counselor.